


In the Night

by de_Duchess



Series: Watch me Set the Sky on Fire [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Doing What Needs To Be Done, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 22:20:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2445185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/de_Duchess/pseuds/de_Duchess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve followed her, stepping into her space until her back hit the wall. “Worry tomorrow.” He said as his hands settled on her hips. “Worry about what the world thinks tomorrow. Tonight just sleep here. For once Maria don’t run out on me.” </p><p>Maria has to make a choice between doing the right thing and doing what she wants. Both options can destroy her, just in very different ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Night

**Author's Note:**

> AN: This story takes place after Avengers: Age of Ultron. There's a 'blink and you'll miss it' spoiler to said film. Non-explicit references to sex.  
> I'm just borrowing these characters and putting 'em through Hell. No copyright infringement intended.  
> Enjoy!

**In the night**

 

Maria sighed as she relaxed into the mattress. Her muscles felt pleasantly stretched and sore and she wrapped her arms around the pillow contently. A hand settled onto her back, warm and solid.

“I can feel you being smug over there, you know.” She mumbled.

He drew two fingers up and down her spine as he chuckled. “Sorry.”

Maria cracked open an eye. “No you’re not.” She accused half-heartedly.

Steve grinned and lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. “Nope, not really.” He admitted easily. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the small of her back and Maria shivered. “It’s not really smug though.” He told her as he slowly kissed up the ridges of her back. “It’s more like pride.”

“Pride?” she questioned as he shifted, the warmth of his body settling closer to hers.

“Well… three times.” He said.

Maria glanced at him over her shoulder and lifted an eyebrow. “Three?” she repeated teasingly.

Steve leant back a little. “Yeah,” he hesitated, “wasn’t it?”

Maria smiled at him. “Twice.” She told him and his face fell. “Hey, I’m not complaining!” she told him.

Steve frowned. “So when I,” he gestured awkwardly at his mouth and then at her, “you didn’t?”

Maria rolled over and cupped his face. “No, but that’s okay. Twice is good, believe me.”

“But women can finish more than once! I read about that.” Steve complained and Maria couldn’t help but laugh. Because of course he’d taken the time to read up on sex and pleasing his partner.

“Yes.” She told him indulgently. “Most women can. But it’s not as easy for everyone. It takes patience and effort.”

“I _was_ making an effort.” Steve mumbled and Maria bit her lip in amusement as she watched his ears turn pink.

“I know.” She told him with a smile. “Which is why you got me off twice. Take the win, Steve.” She leaned forward and pecked him quickly on the lips.

Steve pouted and she chuckled as she rolled away, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She surveyed the clothes strewn across the floor for a moment before she reached out and grabbed his shirt, tugging it over her head.

“You’re leaving?” Steve asked as she began picking up her clothes.

“Mmm.” She agreed. “I need to be getting home.”

Steve shifted until he was leaning against the headboard, watching her silently for a few moments. “You could stay you know.” He finally said quietly and Maria stilled. She turned to look at him and found him gazing back at her determinately.

“Steve,-” she started.

“I could make you breakfast in the morning.” He plowed on. “Eggs on toast? Or French toast? Anything involving toast basically. Or waffles. ” He gave a crooked smile and Maria’s heart clenched.

“You know we can’t.” she said softly, as she hugged her clothes to her chest.

Steve’s face fell. “I know why I can’t go to your place.” He told her. “I don’t understand why we can’t be honest here.”

Maria sighed. “Here, in this bedroom? We can be whatever we want. But as soon as we step outside, you’re Captain America and I’m formerly of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“And that applies to my kitchen?” Steve asked. “To this tower? I live with two former assassins and an omnipresent A.I. who reports to _Stark_. I hate to break it to you Maria, but I’m pretty sure everybody knows about us.”

Maria dumped her clothes on the chair in the corner. Apparently it was time for this discussion again. “There need to be lines, Steve.” She told him. “We cannot risk getting comfortable or we’re going to end up making a mistake in public.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “I know how to be discreet, Maria.”

“It’s not about being discreet, Steve.” Maria said sharply. “If anyone were to know, if anyone were to even _think_ that you’re compromised than everything you stand for comes tumbling down.”

Steve clenched his jaw. “You’re overreacting.”

Maria glared at him. “The only reason that people tolerate the Avengers, is thanks to you. The team isn’t exactly popular right now or have you forgotten?” She lifted her hand as she started ticking off fingers. “Banner, the human manifestation of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, two former assassins whose entire career can be downloaded off the internet, an alien whose brother destroyed two-thirds of New York and an obnoxious, billionaire genius whose AI tried to take over the world.” She shook her head. “And then there’s you. The guy who exposed the corruption within an international spy organization and brought it down.”

“Yeah, and you helped!” Steve exclaimed.

“And no one gives a damn.” Maria told him bluntly. “I was Fury’s second and as far as anyone is concerned, I am as much to blame for not seeing what was going on as he is.” She took a breath. “If anyone were to know about us, your integrity and your believability goes out the window. They’ll think I comprised you, that I have some hidden agenda. And if you go down so does the team.”

Steve jammed his hands into his hair in frustration. “They’re wrong about you.” he said.

Maria shrugged. “I’m still getting subpoenaed for congressional hearings Steve. The only reason I’m not in jail is because of Stark. And you know he took a hit for that. Every decision I’ve ever made has been scrutinized. Every opp I signed off on has been reviewed. If you and I are associated together as anything other than occasional colleagues, everything you do, everything you’ve ever done will be called into question.” She swallowed as she met his eyes. “I can destroy you Steve. If we get careless, if we get comfortable or complacent. Everything you’ve worked for, everything you’re trying to achieve goes up in flames.”

Steve pushed aside the sheets and got up, moving to stand in front of her. “They’re wrong.” He said as he searched her gaze. “They’re idiots and they are so horribly wrong and one day we’ll be able to prove that. But until then we are safe here. You don’t need to worry about that when you’re here.”

Maria scoffed as she stepped back. “I always need to worry. That’s my job Steve. Making sure that you guys can do yours.”

Steve followed her, stepping into her space until her back hit the wall. “Worry tomorrow.” He said as his hands settled on her hips. “Worry about what the world thinks tomorrow. Tonight just sleep here. For once Maria don’t run out on me.”

“That’s a terrible idea.” Maria told him.

“You have an apartment here too.” Steve reminded her. “No one would know where you slept.” He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her chest, his mouth damp even through the shirt.

“Once you start taking the little risks, you lose perspective on the big ones.” Maria mumbled, even as her head fell back.

Steve pressed a kiss to her collarbone, before he moved onto her neck. “You are worth the risks.” He breathed as he nipped at her neck. “I’m not asking for a date, for holding hands in the park or you on my arm at a gala.” He gripped her legs and lifted her up against the wall, pinning her with his weight. “I want to, but I know better than that.” He told her.

Maria moaned as he settled against her, her hands gripping his shoulders and her legs clenching at his waist. “There are still lines, Steve. There need to be.” She managed.

Steve rolled his hips against her and Maria gasped. “Damn the lines.” He said, “I’m extending the lines to this entire apartment.” His eyes bore into hers as he leaned in. “Stay the night, Maria.” He whispered against her lips. His hand rubbed circles into the skin at her waist. “Just stay here.”

Maria wove a hand through his hair and tugged his head back. “Bed.” She told him.

Steve’s hands tightened on her waist and then he was moving, spinning around and taking the few steps back to the bed. He lowered her carefully before he settled over her and Maria pulled him down, kissing whatever else he might say away.

~*~

The clock read two hours later when she glanced over and the ball of dread in her chest had been steadily growing in that time. Steve’s arm was a solid weight around her waist and for a moment she entertained the idea of just staying there. Of sleeping here and having breakfast in the morning and damning the consequences.

Then she steeled herself and carefully slid forward as fluidly as she could, taking care to keep the sheet close so the cool bedroom air wouldn’t hit Steve. His arm settled into the warm spot her body had left behind and she stood up before her determination could waver.

She bypassed his shirt this time and went straight for her own clothes. She pulled on her shirt and pants before turning to glance back at him. He was still asleep, breathing evenly and she took a moment to take him in, to commit the sight to memory. Then she reached for the door and stepped outside, closing it quietly behind her.

Maria pulled on the rest of her clothes and then made her way through Steve’s apartment, pausing only to grab her bag. She exited the apartment and made her way to the elevator, trying not to think about the man she’d left behind.

One of them needed to be sensible. And if he was getting emotionally attached than she needed to stop this before it got out of hand. Before everything he held dear went up in flames because of her. She never should have started this in the first place.

The elevator doors slid open and she stepped inside, considering her options. She could go home, but it was late, well past midnight. It was far too easy for someone to verify what time she’d left the office and speculate why she was only leaving the Tower now. She couldn’t risk being seen exiting at this hour.

She pushed the button for her floor. She _did_ have a rarely used apartment at the Tower and it was actually the thing that had started this whole mess.

A few months ago the team had found out about the death threats she’d been receiving and subsequently freaked out. Threats were a constant for her after S.H.I.E.L.D. fell, but these had been very explicit and she’d started to look into it. And then Steve had stumbled across her research and had asked Jarvis about it, who’d let Steve read the letters.

Steve had flipped and gotten the team involved and the next thing she knew Stark was showing her an apartment while Barton and Romanoff tried to interrogate her about any possible enemies.

She’d tried to tell them everything was fine but her protests had been completely ignored. Even when she’d pointed out that the threats had been sent to her office in the Tower, so her home address likely hadn’t been comprised, they’d refused to let her out of their sight.

She’d thought she’d stay for one night to humor them and then go home after that. Wilson had shown up the next morning. He’d sheepishly explained that he’d gotten a call from both Steve and Natasha in the span of an hour, because they didn’t think she was taking the threats seriously. She’d managed to talk Sam down and thought that would be the end of it.

She’d known she was in trouble when Pepper had showed up to take her lunch that same day. Apparently Stark had enlisted her help to make sure Maria stayed. It was a week before they’d tracked the culprits down and Steve had stuck close to her the entire time. She’d wanted to go home after that and had found herself facing a very angry Steve Rogers. Apparently the fact that she regularly received death threats and hadn’t bothered to inform him or the police was unacceptable.

They’d argued about it. Loudly and passionately. And then they weren’t arguing.

The elevator doors slid open on her floor and she made her way to her apartment. She didn’t use it often but she did keep some clothes here. She’d be able to be presentable tomorrow. She made her way into her bedroom, the air cold and the silence pressing in all around her. She stripped off her clothes and considered the door that led to her en-suite. The weight in her chest had swelled in the past few minutes and it almost physically hurt.

She swallowed it down and went to the dresser, yanking out a sleep shirt. She pulled it on and the crawled into bed, suppressing a shiver at the too cool sheets. She closed her eyes and breathed in. If she tried, she could smell him. Underneath the smell of cold air, beneath the smell of the fabric softener, she could smell Steve. Maria closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep.

Four floors up, Steve stared up at the ceiling. He’d woken up as soon Maria had gotten out of bed. His hand lay in the spot that had been warm, but now felt cool against his palm.

“Well, so much for breakfast.” He said into the dark.

 

**[The End]**

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'd apologise for this, but if all goes well this series will have six parts and things are going to get worse. So I'll save the apology for later.


End file.
